


coming apart at the seams

by Godoflaundrybaskets (digiella)



Series: Red Vs. Blue Fusion [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Artificial Intelligence, Gen, Red Vs. Blue Fusion, no actual knowledge of RvB necessary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-11 16:25:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7899757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/digiella/pseuds/Godoflaundrybaskets
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the Sans A.I. fragments, it's put into lockdown. Director Gaster tries to hold a civil conversation.</p><p>(A Red vs. Blue fusion fic)</p>
            </blockquote>





	coming apart at the seams

The magimetric scanner was chilly against Gaster's palm as it read his magical signature. This door was secured for all except for a Gaster and the Councilor to directly interact with the A.I. while it was in partial lock-down. While the ability to initiate the lock down on A,I. was - by necessity - available to all commanding officers on the ship, actually interacting with it was saved for just a select few.

It had been about a month since the A.I.'s fragmentation had been brought to his attention. Why it wasn't noticed sooner was still a concern that Gaster was investigating solutions for; at the very least, the fragmentation should have been caught long ago in a routine sweep of Sans' systems. A.I.'s were monitored closely as a whole - the danger of rampancy still lingered on everyone's mind. Unfortunately, Sans must have found a way to slip the fragment under the scans of his systems.

The security indicator flashed green and the door opened. Gaster carried a memory unit - a blocky cylinder-like shape the size of his forearm - inside the dark room. The lights flickered on as the door open revealing the austere line of computer terminals which flickered with activity. Sans had been working hard to earn the freedom of the ship and Gaster had allowed him access last week to the ship's secondary monitoring systems.

The avatar appeared quickly as Gaster entered. Small and glowing faintly blue, the holographic projection was only a six inches tall. Sans had always chosen a form that mimicked Gaster's own skeleton frame. Until recently, Gaster hadn't thought much of that choice. The Avatar's eyelights flickered towards the memory unit Gaster held and back up to his face trying to hide it's reaction. Gaster set the unit down and pulled a chair to the main console while he waited for Sans to speak.

The silence stretched and the AI almost vibrated as it held itself back from rushing at the memory unit. It knew better now. All that would cause is Gaster remotely triggering the isolation lock-down of the room and leaving immediately.

"What can I help you with, Director?" The A.I. finally broke down and asked.

Gaster smiled. "Good afternoon, Sans."

Sans sighed. A holographic chair sputtered into existence behind him and Sans collapsed into it, slumping as it resigned itself to pleasantries. "Good afternoon, Director," it dutifully repeated.

"How are you feeling?"

Sans' fingers started tapping at the arm of the chair, "I'm fine. How're you?"

"That's good to hear. You were behaving erratically the other day and there was some concern. The Councilor was here earlier to talk with you. Have you thought about what she said?"

"Yes, Director."

"And?"

Sans' avatar shifted uncomfortably fidgeting in the chair and picking at the bones in his wrist. He mumbled something that Gaster couldn't quite hear.

"What was that?"

"I don't remember! I've tried. I know it's weird but it's like there's... a blank spot in my memory. Like it was carved out. I don't remember where he came from, I don't remember him leaving, but I know Papyrus belongs with me, okay?!"

"Sans," Gaster said in warning.

Sans threw himself out of the chair and started pacing back and forth. "I don't understand. You've segregated me out of the ship's main systems, you won't let me do my job, and no one is telling me what's going on!" Bits of color sparked where the avatar's feet met an invisible floor as it walked. The avatar itself glitched like a signal going through an ion storm.

"Are you trying to suggest that we let an unstable A.I. roam around the ship?"

"Who is that comment pointed at, Director? Me or Papyrus?"

"Do you think you're unstable? Or do you have concerns about the beta-fragment?"

"Well, obviously _you_ do or I wouldn't be in partial-lock-down! I'm not unstable; I feel angry. I feel peeved. Would you like more 'I feel' statements for the Councilor to dissect? I feel lonely. I _feel_ , Director, and I am trying to be nice and ask for Papyrus back or I will--"

"Or what, Sans?"

"Nothing!" Sans threw up his hands. "Obviously nothing because there's _nothing I can  
do_ here."

Gaster glared at the hologram projection of the AI. Sans was trying to look sheepish but mostly ended up scowling like some teenager at Gaster. Gaster tapped his fingers against his pocket, not pulling out the remote trigger for initiating a full lock-down which would secure all communication systems in the room. Sans caught the motion and flinched. Gaster, carefully, didn't smile as his point was made.

Sans raised it's hands in a supplicating manor. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that! I just want to return to duty. It's just-- it _feels_ like everyone is blaming me for creating Papyrus. But I didn't! Or at least, I didn't mean to and I barely remember a time without him. You can't understand what it's like to be an AI. Maybe it's different for you, but for me-- It's hard, Gaster. I can't keep these calculations up while I'm wondering if our agents had breakfast or if our targets had any family. I end up sifting through non-essential data and I get distracted and I know I'm going to mess something up. I _know_ it. So I just... segregated that functionality off so I can focus."

"And it worked," Sans continued in excitement. A graph appeared beside him as he turned away from Gaster to contemplate it. "My performance greatly improved in the field in both reaction times and integration with our agents' armor enhancements."

"And it's form?" Gaster asked.

Sans shrugged. "I don't know. That's just what he wanted to look like. He's still me! We're still Sans, I mean. But it's just easier to look different so that what he-- I thought of. It's fine, right? We can change, but I thought... I mean..."

Gaster lifted his hand from the control panel and picked up the memory unit. Sans' hologram let out a sigh of relief and slouched against some invisible wall. ~~Wingdings had always hated the idea--~~ Gaster cut of the thought, his fingers clenching painfully against the hard plastic handle.

Sans' hologram flickered out and appeared on top of the memory unit. "You're thinking about this all wrong. He's not a bug! Think of him more like... a feature. Two A.I.'s for the price of one."

"Very witty." Gaster rolled his eyes. "Is that what you're going to tell me next time you make a mistake in a simulation? You don't have bugs, you have features?"

"I don't have bugs. Sometimes, I just have typos that are syntactically correct."

Gaster didn't respond.

"So, what do you say about putting him back into the system, Director? Now that you know he's not an enemy or whatever you were freaking out about. I'm sure he's worried to bits alone in that unit. You can keep us in lock-down. _Just give him back._ **N o w.** "

"No," Gaster snapped. Before he thought about it, he jabbed lock-down for the Sans AI unit on and whirled away ignoring the sharp yelp of objection. He was at the door with the memory unit before Sans recovered and appeared in front of him. He waved a hand through the hologram dissipating it but it just appeared next to him immediately.

He whirled around facing the A.I. who scowled right back at him. Gaster’s temper snapped. "You-- You are deliberately avoid acknowledging what you have done or the consequences you must face because of that. I can not have you running missions - running anything! - while you've kept this from me. You have connived and suck around to keep your fragmentation a secret and you think I can just let this go? Are you growing delusional as well?"

Sans's eyes widened and it took a step back in surprise at Gaster's vehemence. "What? No! I just--"

"If you truly want to prove to me that you can be trusted you'll stay here quietly while I continue studying this 'fragment' and determine what I am going to do about this. You’ll stop demanding for him back and cooperate."

"You know I couldn't go anywhere even if I wanted to," Sans said sulkily.

"Then this should be easy for you."

"I don't understand why Papyrus has to--"

"Did you name the fragment? Or is that what it told you it's designation was?"

"He hasn't done anything wrong!" The avatar flashed brighter for a moment with the force of the emotion.

"Oh, but you know that _you_ have." Gaster shook his head and took a deep breath trying to regain the calm he entered the room with. He was always a little surprised at how much different the little A.I. was, for all that it was based on Gaster's brain. "Look, Sans, I know you're feeling stressed about this but this is for your own good. We'll work this out. This won't be the end of the world."

"I _need_ him, Director. You can't do this!"

"Sans, what you need to do is calm down."

" **I a m c a l m.** "

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Clearly."

It was quiet for a moment except for Sans' huffing breaths. Then it's avatar flickered and disappeared. Gaster allowed himself a moment of weakness to close his eyes. Honestly, working with the AI was worse then trying to fish in a black hole rather than the extension of self he'd heard it described. He flicked his eyes around the room, but the AI must have given up for now and turned off it's avatar. The A.I. equivalent of slamming the door in your face.

He left the room and watching to verify the lock engaged. The memory unit heavy was at his side. Of course, this one was empty. He wasn't going to take the chance of Sans and Papyrus interacting until he was sure he could keep them from melding again.

Sans was contained. A.I.'s weren't common, but there were documented standards for dealing with them in case to prevent any rampancy. The chip was always isolated in the ship's system so that it could be disabled or isolated with ease. This was a weakness that anyone dealing with A.I. acknowledged and made their usefulness in battle varied. They could help, but if your enemy was familiar with them, the chip's location was a grave weak point.

Gaster had never heard of an A.I, fragmenting itself though. No one had, as far as his research could determine. This was new. This was different.

He needed to study the Papyrus-fragment. It would be nice if he could find a way to calm Sans down while he was at it, though the obvious solution was out of the question. Until then, leaving him in lock-down would have to do. He'd talk to the Councilor about how to continue handling Sans' reintegration with the ship. Hopefully, a night in complete lock-down would remind the A.I. to mind it's manners.

It was late and he wanted a fresh mind before he got back to examining the Papyrus-fragment. It wouldn't do to let his uneasiness with the fragment's chosen form show.

The hallways were empty in this section of the ship; Gaster's footsteps echoed hollowly as he strode to his room. The lights shut off one by one behind him leaving nothing but the slight red glow from the magimetric scanner.


End file.
